Deck 12: The Dynamic Planet

Question 1

Boundaries between intervals of the geological time scale are determined by which of the following?

A)Dividing the time range of the interval by the number desired subdivisions,thereby creating equal intervals between the divisions.
B)Major events in Earth's history,such as major extinctions.
C)Using a quantile method whereby the number of years in each subdivision is determined by dividing the number of years by the desired number of classes.
D)Climatic periods based on paleoclimatological reconstructions.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

When geologists conclude that the Grand Canyon sequence of rocks was formed through hundreds of millions of years of deposition,mountain building,and erosion,they are basing this conclusion on which principle?

A)Altruism.
B)Catastrophism.
C)Chaos.
D)Uniformitarianism.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which type of processes are Tectonic forces?

A)Exogenic processes.
B)Endogenic processes.
C)Both exogenic and endogenic processes.
D)Neither exogenic nor endogenic processes.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

In terms of dating of specific rocks,structures,or landscapes,numerical age refers to which of the following?

A)The age of geological features based on isotopic dating techniques.
B)The approximate age of geological features based on the period or epoch in which they occurred.For instance,noting a feature is from the Cretaceous.
C)A range of numeric values in which a feature was likely formed and based on several lines of evidence,such as paleoclimatic and paleobotanical reconstructions.
D)The age of one feature with respect to another within a sequence of events and deduced from the positions of rock strata above and below one another.

Question 5

Which best describes Earth's magnetic poles?

A)They are fixed.
B)They are migrating approximately 55 to 60 km per year.
C)They are perfectly aligned with Earth's axis.
D)They are misaligned from Earth's axis by 23.5 degrees.

Question 6

Which is the subfield of geography and geology concerned with the study of the origins,evolutions,form,and spatial distribution of the landforms on Earth?

A)Geophysics.
B)Lithology.
C)Geomorphology.
D)Pedology.

Question 7

Which of the following correctly pairs the name of the scientific study of rock strata (layers)with the principle on which it is based?

A)Stratigraphy; superposition.
B)Geomorphology; uniformitarianism.
C)Paleontology; catostrophism.
D)Paleogeography; plate tectonics.

Question 8

Which of the following is an example of an age-relationship based on relative dating?

A)Australopithecines were alive 3.2 million years ago.
B)The Neanderthals became extinct 35 000 years ago.
C)Australopithecines evolved before Homo erectus.
D)Clovis points have been dated at 11 000 years old in North America.

Question 9

Which of the following is an exogenic process?

A)Earthquakes.
B)Volcanism.
C)Flows of heat and materials in the mantle.
D)Weathering.

Question 10

The Precambrian Eon encompasses what percentage of Earth's total history?

A)0)04%.
B)5%.
C)11.7%.
D)88.3%.

Question 11

Which of the following is an example of the principle of uniformitarianism?

A)It is not possible to know how Earth processes have changed over time therefore it is not possible to deduce how Earth's ancient landforms evolved.
B)The processes by which streams carve valleys at present are the same as those that carved valleys 500 million years ago.
C)Catastrophic events,such as major landslides,earthquakes,and volcanic episodes,are the primary drivers of geomorphological change.
D)Earth's geological history is mostly uniform and homogeneous,existing now as it mostly always has with the exception of minor recent changes.

Question 12

Which of the following is an endogenic process?

A)Weathering.
B)Stream deposition.
C)Volcanism.
D)Glacial erosion.

Question 13

Which of the following is an example of an age-relationship based on absolute dating?

A)Devonian limestones in southern Ontario are younger than the Silurian Rocks near Minto.
B)The Vishnu schist at the bottom of the Grand Canyon is younger than the Precambrian Shield.
C)The dinosaurs became extinct 65 million years ago.
D)The Coconino formation in the Grand Canyon is older than the Kaibab formation.

Question 14

Which is the principle that the same physical processes currently active in the environment were operating throughout Earth's history?

A)Uniformitarianism.
B)Catastrophism.
C)Parallelism.
D)Statis.

Question 15

Which of the following is correctly matched?

A)Endogenic - external processes
B)Exogenic - internal processes
C)Radioactive decay heat - exogenic energy source
D)Weathering - exogenic breaking and dissolving the crust

Question 16

Which of the following is correct regarding the geologic time scale?

A)The Jurassic period occurred during the Paleozoic era.
B)Over 87 percent of Earth's history has elapsed during the more recent Cenozoic,Mesozoic,and Paleozoic eras.
C)The bulk of Earth's history has occurred during the Precambrian eon.
D)We live in the Tertiary period.

Question 17

In terms of dating of specific rocks,structures,or landscapes,to which does relative age refer?

A)The age of geological features based on isotopic dating techniques.
B)The approximate age of geological features based on the period or epoch in which they occurred.For instance,noting a feature is from the Cretaceous.
C)The inability to ascertain exact age through isotopic methods and the necessity to provide a date range for such features.
D)The age of one feature with respect to another within a sequence of events and deduced from the positions of rock strata above and below one another.

Question 18

Which of the following is correct with reference to the geologic time scale?

A)An epoch is composed of one or more periods.
B)The largest defined unit is an eon or,according to some,a supereon.
C)An era is the smallest unit of geologic time.
D)Every period is composed of 2 epochs.

Question 19

Which best describes the assumptions of Uniformitarianism?

A)Earth is quite young and is shaped by dramatic events.
B)Catastrophic episodes have regularly occurred.
C)The same physical processes we see today are a key to understanding the processes that have been operating throughout geologic time.
D)Mountains,plains,and canyons formed by catastrophic events.

Question 20

Which of the following plays a role in the shaping of Earth's surface?

A)Electromagnetic radiation,gamma rays and thermal infrared energy.
B)Latent heat,sublimation,and deposition.
C)Nuclear fusion.
D)Gravity,wind,water,ice,and radioactive decay.

Question 21

Which of the following can occur when seismic waves encounter a layer in Earth's interior?

A)Dissemination.
B)Dissolution and distortion.
C)Recombination,deviation,and interruption.
D)Reflection,refraction,absorption,and change in speed.

Question 22

Which is the name of the plastic layer in the mantle from about 70 to 250 km in depth?

A)Asthenosphere.
B)Lithosphere.
C)Moho.
D)Gutenberg discontinuity.

Question 23

Which of the following statements about Earth's core is correct?

A)It is composed primarily of magnesium.
B)The inner core is believed to be liquid and the outer core solid.
C)Scientists think the inner core formed after the outer core.
D)A third of Earth's entire mass,but only 1/6 of its volume lies in its core.

Question 24

How does the percentage of oxygen in the crust compare to that in the atmosphere.

A)Oxygen in the crust is greater than that in the atmosphere.
B)Oxygen in the crust is less than that in the atmosphere.
C)Oxygen in the crust is the same as that in the atmosphere.

Question 25

How is the density of material below the Moho related to that above it?

A)Density of material below is greater than the density of material above.
B)Density of material below is less than the density of material above.
C)Density of material below is the same as the density of material above.

Question 26

Scientists have direct evidence of Earth's structure to which level?

A)The inner core.
B)The upper mantle (~250 km).
C)About 2 km from the surface.
D)10 km from the surface,based on the deepest well shaft.

Question 27

What is the range of thickness of Earth's crust?

A)5 km to 60 km.
B)70 km to 250 km.
C)the surface to an unknown depth.
D)the surface down to 2900 km.

Question 28

What does the fact that Earth's interior is sorted into layers indicate?

A)The process of formation from a nebula (by the slamming together of material and planetesimals that stuck together on impact)produces nice,neat layers.
B)Earth was once in a molten state,during which materials became sorted based on density.
C)The rotation of the early Earth acted like a centrifuge which separated materials based on weight.
D)Nothing can be inferred about such a perplexing level of organization.

Question 29

Which lists the dominant elements in the continental crust?

A)Silica and aluminum.
B)Silica and magnesium.
C)Magnesium and aluminum.
D)Potassium and iron.

Question 30

Of the elements in Earth's crusts,which makes up most of Earth's crust by weight?

A)Silicon (Si).
B)Aluminum (Al).
C)Oxygen (O).
D)Iron (Fe).

Question 31

On average,how is the thickness of oceanic crust compared to that of continental crust?

A)Ocean crust thickness is greater than continental crust.
B)Ocean crust thickness is less than continental crust.
C)Ocean crust thickness is the same as continental crust.

Question 32

Which best describes the aesthenosphere?

A)A rigid solid.
B)A liquid.
C)A plastic.
D)A plasma.

Question 33

Consider the density of the continental crust and the oceanic crust.Which of the following is correct?

A)Continental crust is less dense than oceanic crust and composed primarily of basalt.
B)Continental crust is denser than oceanic crust and composed primarily of granite.
C)Oceanic crust is less dense than continental crust and is composed primarily of granite.
D)Oceanic crust is denser than continental crust and is composed primarily of basalt.

Question 34

Which of the following is correct regarding Earth's inner core?

A)It has a density of 133.5 grams • cm-3.
B)It is liquid iron in composition.
C)It is the source of Earth's magnetic field.
D)It is about 1230 km thick.

Question 35

Which of the following gives the correct sequence of layers in Earth,from the surface to the center?

A)Crust,inner core,mantle,outer core.
B)Inner core,outer core,mantle,crust.
C)Mantle,crust,inner core,outer core.
D)Crust,mantle,outer core,inner core.

Question 36

Why is Earth's interior layered?

A)Centrifugal force separated out the materials based on weight as Earth solidified.
B)Materials became sorted based on density as Earth solidified.
C)Materials became sorted based on electromagnetic fields as Earth solidified.
D)Materials separated as Earth cooled and the lighter ones floated to the surface.

Question 37

The boundary between the crust and the rest of the lithospheric upper mantle is a discontinuity.What is this layer called?

A)Gutenberg.
B)Mantle.
C)Moho.
D)Lithospheric layer.

Question 38

Which lists the dominant elements in the oceanic crust?

A)Silica and aluminum.
B)Silica and magnesium.
C)Magnesium and aluminum.
D)Potassium and iron.

Question 39

Which layer of the planet forms 80 percent of Earth's total volume,and has an average density of 4.5 grams • cm-3?

A)Continental crust.
B)Oceanic crust.
C)Mantle.
D)Core.

Question 40

From which of the following is knowledge of Earth's interior mostly derived?

A)Direct sampling of the interior using deep-test wells.
B)Work in Earth's deepest caverns and caves.
C)Indirect evidence involving the analysis of seismic waves.
D)Historic and prehistoric records.

Question 41

Which is defined as an element or combination of elements that forms an inorganic,natural compound?

A)Tectonic rock.
B)Granitic compound.
C)Mineral.
D)Molecule.

Question 42

During the past ice age,which best describes landmasses?

A)Landmasses were pressed down into the asthenosphere by the load of ice.
B)Landmasses were elevated,because ice is lighter than rock.
C)Landmasses were unaffected by the climatic conditions of the time.
D)Landmasses were more exposed to the atmosphere.

Question 43

Which is the name by which the rigid crust and uppermost mantle are known collectively?

A)Asthenosphere.
B)Lithosphere.
C)Moho.
D)Gutenberg discontinuity.

Question 44

When was the last pole reversal?

A)1 million years ago.
B)290 000 years ago.
C)1900 years ago.
D)790 000 years ago.

Question 45

Which is the average length of a period during which a given magnetic field polarity exists?

A)10 000 years.
B)100 000 years.
C)500 000 years.
D)1 000 000 years.

Question 46

How does continental crust compare to oceanic crust?

A)Continental crust is thin; oceanic crust is thick.
B)Continental crust is basalt; oceanic crust is granite.
C)Continental crust is granite; oceanic crust is basalt.
D)Continental crust is sima; oceanic crust is sial.

Question 47

The uneven transition zone from the outer core to the mantle is known as which of the following?

A)Gutenberg discontinuity.
B)Mohorovičić discontinuity.
C)Asthensosphere discontinuity.
D)Lithosphere discontinuity.

Question 48

Which of the following is a criteria to be classified as a mineral?

A)Organic.
B)Anthropogenic.
C)Liquid.
D)Definable chemical composition.

Question 49

The principles of buoyancy and balance,when applied to Earth's crust,helps to explain fluctuations in Earth's outer crust.What is this property called?

A)Magnetism.
B)Moho effect.
C)Isostasy.
D)Orogenesis.

Question 50

The majority of Earth's volume is within which layer?

A)Crust.
B)Inner core.
C)Mantle.
D)Outer core.

Question 51

Glaciers that once covered the Hudson Bay area melted 8000 years ago.As a result of this,the bay is gradually rising.In another 10 000 years or so,it will have risen above sea level and become dry.Of what can this process best be considered an example?

A)Catastrophism.
B)Isostasy.
C)Accretion.
D)Orogenesis.

Question 52

Which are the three most abundant elements in Earth's crust?

A)Rock,water,and tectonics.
B)Magnesium,potassium,and oxygen.
C)Iron,aluminum,and granite.
D)Oxygen,silicon,and aluminum.

Question 53

Which lists the three basic rock types?

A)Conglomerates,clastics,and evaporite.
B)Intrusive,extrusive,and plutonic.
C)Laterite,schist,and basalt.
D)Sedimentary,metamorphic,and igneous.

Question 54

The transition zone from the upper mantle to the crust is known as which discontinuity?

A)Gutenberg.
B)Mohorovičić.
C)Asthensosphere.
D)Lithosphere.

Question 55

Approximately 95% of Earth's crust is made up of which of the following?

A)Oxides.
B)Phosphates.
C)Silicates.
D)Carbonates.

Question 56

Which best describes Earth's magnetic field?

A)It is variable,and it has faded to zero and returned to full strength with the polarity reversed.
B)It is constant in its intensity.
C)It remains a mystery as to its cause.
D)It is principally generated in the inner core.

Question 57

Which of the following layers of Earth is liquid and is responsible for producing Earth's magnetic field?

A)Inner core.
B)Outer core.
C)Lower mantle.
D)Aesthenosphere.

Question 58

The majority of Earth's crust is composed of which rock?

A)Igneous.
B)Metamorphic.
C)Sedimentary.
D)Carbonate.

Question 59

Which is an assemblage of minerals bound together?

A)Granitic compound.
B)Mineral.
C)Molecule.
D)Rock.

Question 60

The process of isostatic adjustment is most closely associated with which of the following?

A)Lithospheric plate collisions.
B)Volcanic activity.
C)Sea-floor spreading.
D)Buoyancy.

Question 61

What are small plutons that form parallel to layers of sedimentary rock?

A)Dikes.
B)Laccoliths.
C)Sills.
D)Batholiths.

Question 62

The major rocks of Earth's crust are classified into principal types based on which of the following?

A)Element composition.
B)Mineral composition.
C)Three specific rock-forming processes; i.e.,the manner in which they formed.
D)Relative and absolute locations; where they are now as opposed to where they formed.

Question 63

What type of rock forms from the solidification of molten material?

A)Sedimentary.
B)Metamorphic.
C)Igneous.
D)Clastic.

Question 64

Which rock type makes up approximately 90% of Earth's crust?

A)Sedimentary.
B)Metamorphic.
C)Igneous.
D)Carbonate.

Question 65

Which are the names that contrast molten rock beneath Earth's surface with molten rock on Earth's surface?

A)Lava; magma.
B)Intrusive; extrusive.
C)Magma; lava.
D)Extrusive; intrusive.

Question 66

Obsidian is an igneous rock with a glassy appearance and minimal crystal growth.What accounts for this?

A)Obsidian is an intrusive igneous rock that cooled slowly beneath Earth's surface,result in little crystal growth.
B)Obsidian is an extrusive igneous rock that cooled slowly on Earth surface,resulting in little crystal growth.
C)Obsidian is an extrusive igneous rock that cooled very slowly on Earth surface,resulting in little crystal growth.
D)Obsidian is an intrusive igneous rock that cooled rapidly beneath Earth's surface,result in little crystal growth.

Question 67

Which of the following is an example of an intrusive igneous rock formation?

A)Volcano.
B)Pluton.
C)Dome.
D)Lava flow.

Question 68

What does the presence of 180-million-year-old salt domes in the Gulf Coast region of the United States indicate?

A)The area was once volcanically active.
B)The area was subjected to plate collisions which caused metamorphism to occur.
C)Subsidence is now occurring due to the withdrawal of magma from the region.
D)A sea used to cover the area but subsequently evaporated.

Question 69

Which correctly pairs the location of cooling intrusive igneous rock with its texture?

A)Beneath the surface; finer.
B)Beneath the surface; coarser.
C)At the surface; finer.
D)At the surface; coarser.

Question 70

From which does a batholith form?

A)Intrusive igneous rock.
B)Extrusive igneous rock.
C)Metamorphic rock.
D)Sediment accumulation in a depression.

Question 71

Which best describes felsic igneous rock,such as granite and rhyolite?

A)These have dark coloration.
B)These are not resistant to weathering.
C)These have a high melting temperature.
D)These are high in silicate minerals.

Question 72

What is sedimentary rock formed from the combined processes of weathering,erosion,transportation,deposition,lithification,and compaction of rock fragments of other rocks?

A)Clastic.
B)Biochemical.
C)Organic.
D)Chemical.

Question 73

Travertine,formed from CaCO3 that has been precipitated from groundwater,is an example of which sedimentary rock?

A)Clastic.
B)Biochemical.
C)Organic.
D)Chemical.

Question 74

Limestone formed from the shells of marine organisms is an example of which sedimentary rock?

A)Clastic.
B)Biochemical.
C)Organic.
D)Chemical.

Question 75

What is sedimentary rock formed from dissolved minerals that precipitate out of water solution and build up to form rock?

A)Clastic.
B)Inorganic.
C)Organic.
D)Chemical.

Question 76

Which correctly pairs the location of cooling extrusive igneous rock with its texture?

A)Beneath the surface; finer.
B)Beneath the surface; coarser.
C)At the surface; finer.
D)At the surface; coarser.

Question 77

Which best describes mafic igneous rock,such as gabbro and basalt?

A)These are derived from magnesium and iron.
B)These have light coloration.
C)These are high in silicate minerals.
D)These have a low melting temperature.

Question 78

If you were driving down the highway and saw mountains composed of layered strata,you could be confident that you were looking at which of the following?

A)Sedimentary rocks.
B)Extrusive igneous rock.
C)A shield volcano.
D)Batholiths or laccoliths.

Question 79

What type of rock is derived from the bits and pieces of former rocks?

A)Sedimentary.
B)Metamorphic.
C)Igneous.
D)Hydrothermal.

Question 80

Which of the following lists,in proper sequential order,the steps leading to the formation of clastic sedimentary rock?

A)Erosion,transportation,deposition,cementation.
B)Erosion,deposition,transportation,cementation.
C)Erosion,transportation,deposition,metamorphism.
D)Precipitation,settling,compaction,cementation.